1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sweatband and a cap having the same. Particularly, the present invention relates to a sweatband including several sections without sewing portion and a cap having the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As time goes by, caps such as baseball caps or sport caps have been successively developed. The development of caps not only affects fashion style but also simplifies complicated equipments and complex manufacturing processes. Although caps include a variety of designs, most caps still have common feature. For example, the cap usually has a body including plural gores and a bill portion sewn on the front of the body. Since gores of certain caps are made of elastic fabrics, these caps of one size can fit people having different head sizes.
A traditional cap generally includes a sweatband sewn on the lower edge of the body. The sweatband is configured to define the body and appropriately fit the wearer's head. The sweatband also provides other functions such as absorbing and evaporating sweat. When the cap is designed to have elasticity, the sweatband is usually made of elastic material. Thus, the body and the sweatband can stretch to fit different head size when the cap is worn. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,715,540, 6,493,880, 6,625,818, 5,966,742, and 6,016,572, for example, disclose that the sweatband is a circular band made of uniaxial or biaxial stretchable material. When the sweatband is sewn on the stretchable body to form a stretchable cap, the stretchable cap can fit people having different head sizes. In these prior arts, the sweatband includes a first section, a second section, and a third section. The first section partially overlaps the third section to form a sewing portion between the first section and the third section. When viewing from the top, the first section is on top of the third section, and a connection section is sewn on the overlapping portion, so that the connection between first section and the third section can be more firmly. However, such design has several defects. For example, since the overlapping portion between the first section and the third section will closely contact the wearer's head, such sewing portions will make the wearer feel uncomfortable due to frictions. Moreover, when viewing form the bottom, the exposed sewing threads are unattractive and affect the elasticity of the cap. Furthermore, those exposed threads on the sewing portions which contact the wearer's head very often are easily worn down and break causing the sweatband to be separated from the body. Meanwhile, in some cases, the sweatband is formed by folding the lower edge of the gores inwardly to save materials and the working hour. However, although such folding process may be cost effective, the cap still has several drawbacks. For example, since the gores are folded inwardly, the sewing portion among these gores will be exposed, so that the exposed threads will directly contact the wearer's head. Moreover, since the gores are folded inwardly, the folded portion becomes a protrusion on the sweatband. When contacting the wearer's head, the protrusion will make the wearer feel uncomfortable.
As shown in FIG. 1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,398 discloses a sweatband including a first section 110, a second section 116, and a third section 112, wherein the first section 110 and the second section 112 are directly connected to the third section without overlapping each other. That is, the first section 110 and the third section 112 are on the same level and connected by the second section 116. Although such design makes the second section 116 become flatter, the wearer sometimes will feel uncomfortable due to the seam among the first section 110, the second section 116, and the third section 112. Since the seam is exposed outside, the sewing threads are easily worn down resulting in the separation of the sweatband from the body.
Moreover, as the development of caps advances, the brand becomes more and more important. Consequently, the brand logo or company name is preferably presented on the outer surface or inner surface of the cap. In view of the drawbacks of the prior arts, it is required to provide a more comfortable, more appealing, and cost-effective cap.